Mets reportedly show David Wright the money

Mets making serious bid to keep the face of the franchise, third baseman David Wright, at Citi FieldWilliam Perlman/The Star Ledger

After weeks of parrying back and forth, the Mets appear to have made a serious statement about the value of star third baseman David Wright. The team has reportedly offered him a seven-year contract extension that could be the richest in franchise history, when included with his $16 million option for 2013.

Fox Sports pegged the total sum as between $135 million and $145 million over eight seasons. The New York Daily News first reported the team had offered him the seven-year extension.

Wright issued a statement Tuesday night in which he said he was “disappointed by reports that I’ve read today that are inaccurate.” He declined to provide details about what he took issue with in the various reports.

The full package could exceed Johan Santana’s six-year, $137.5 million deal he signed after being traded from Minnesota in 2008. The proposed agreement would also eclipse a pair of sizable extensions reached in the past calendar year with two other well-regarded third basemen, Washington’s Ryan Zimmerman and Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria. Both players signed extensions lasting six seasons and worth $100 million.

The Mets made a similar proposal on Monday, Fox Sports reported. The team upped their offer Tuesday. Now the burden of responsibility has shifted to Wright, who turns 30 next month and has long stated his hope to play the rest of his career with the Mets.

“I mean, imagine the Atlanta Braves without Chipper Jones,” said R.A. Dickey, the team’s other high-profile player undergoing contract negotiations, during an appearance to promote literacy at Dream Charter School in Harlem Tuesday morning. “You just can’t. I think they’re going to reach an agreement.”

Several team officials declined to comment on the situation. All cited the privacy of negotiations as the reason for their silence.

General manager Sandy Alderson has worked hard to ensure the team will not repeat the public relations folly of last winter, when shortstop Jose Reyes signed with Miami having never received an official offer from the Mets. Even if the decision made some sense on a baseball level, fans expressed anger at Alderson’s apparent passivity in negotiations, allowing the free-spending Marlins to swoop in and sign away the homegrown star.

With Wright, a six-time All-Star and the face of the franchise, Alderson does not appear interested in taking any chances.

After a dismal 2011 campaign, one marred by a broken back and paltry production, Wright resuscitated his value with an excellent first half in 2012. He banged out a 1.004 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) during the first three months, which overshadowed a mediocre second half .750 OPS. Wright hit. 304 for the season with 21 homers and 93 RBI. He finished sixth in National League MVP voting, his best showing since 2007.

The team has been less aggressive in dealing with Dickey, this year’s National League Cy Young Award winner. Dickey told reporters Tuesday the two sides have exchanged offers and counter-offers. Dickey is believed to be seeking something similar to Jake Peavy’s two-year, $29 million extension on top of his $5 million team option for 2013.

One baseball official who has dealt with Alderson in the past described him as a “sequential” thinker, a person who likes to accomplish tasks in order. The official requested anonymity in order to speak freely about the situation. Alderson’s priority has been signing Wright.

Now, the onus appears to be on Wright to accept the team’s sizable offer.